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SOFTBALL Kansas plays the Kansas State club softball team today, Page 3B MEN'S TENNIS Kansas ready for Boise Invite, Page 4B
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
THURSDAY, MARCH 16, 1995
SECTION B
Jerrel Harris /
KANSAN
Kansas forward
Angela Aycock
goes up for a
shot during
women's basketball practice
in Allen Field
House. Aycock
will lead the Jayhawks into their first-round NCAA
tournament game against the Wisconsin Badgers today.
Women's basketball team begins tournament today
By Jenni Carlson Kansan sportswriter
LUBBOCK, Texas — Let the madness begin.
BUDDOCK, Texas — Let the masthead begin.
The Kansas women's basketball team went through a 90-minute workout yesterday afternoon in preparation for its first round game in the NCAA tournament. The Jayhawks will face Wisconsin at 6 tonight. Kansas is the No. 7 seed in the Mideast region, and Wisconsin is the No. 10.
But the Badgers will have to go against Kansas without one of their starters. Doctors diagnosed freshman forward Ann Klapperich with mononucleosis. She will not be able to play for three to six weeks.
The Badgers are coming off their first winning season in three years. They compiled a 19-8 record and finished third in the Big Ten Conference regular season standings under first-year coach Jane Albright-Dierleer.
"We feel very confident in the adjustments that we'll make," Albright-Dieterle said. "I think they'll pick up a little bit of the slack, and we'll
"Coach Albright has done an unreal job in terms of turning that program around." Kansas women's basketball coach Marian Washington said. "Wisconsin is here not just to stand around and look at us."
be fine no matter what."
Despite losing its second-leading rebounder, Wisconsin will still have the services of junior center Barb Franke. The All-American candidate leads the Badgers, scoring 18.9 points and hauling down 7.9 rebounds a game.
king down. 15. Roberts guard Kansas junior guard Charisse Sampson and Franke played on the Jones Cup Team last summer. The team won the gold medal in Taipei, Taiwan. Sampson said the two were not the best of friends, but she got to know Franke's style of play.
"I know she wants to play, and she's going to do whatever it takes to win," Sampson said. "And I know one other thing She's very physical."
With Wisconsin's strength inside, Kansas will depend on its perimeter game, much as it has all season.
"It's a great honor," the Dallas native said. "I'm happy that I was chosen."
Yesterday, the U.S. Basketball Writers Association named Aycock to its All-America team.
"They've got three of the best guards that I've seen on film anywhere," Albright-Dieterle said. "Aycock can really hurt you from different places. It's her senior year, and I know she's trying to go out with a bang."
Kansas senior forward Angela Aycock leads a young Kansas team. Four sophomores and four freshmen are listed on the roster.
Aycock, Sampson and the four sophomores have all experienced tournament action in the
"You have an edge, somewhat, when you come in and you're hungry."
Jane Albright-Dietlee Wisconsin in women's basketball coach
past. This is the Jayhawks fourth consecutive appearance in the Big Dance. Albright-Dierleton said the Jayhawks have had success in the postseason, but that the experience might not be the deciding factor.
"You have an edge, somewhat, when you come in and you're hungry," she said. "I don't know which is more valuable, the experience or the hunger. We'll know this tomorrow."
A Kansas win and a win by Texas Tech against Tulane in the other sub-regional
game would provide a look at a future Big 12 Conference matchup.
But Kansas is not forgetting about Wisconsin.
Jayhawks fall 10-9 to Shockers
"I don't have my wheelchair with me, but I can tell you I've been in the game long enough to know that you can't afford to look ahead," Washington said. "We are really focused on Wisconsin."
Loss to Wichita State drops Kansas baseball team 4-12; walks kill run production
By Tom Erickson Kansan sportswriter
WICHITA - Wichita State won the bases on balls contest and the game last night, defeating the Jayhawks, 10-9.
The No. 12 Shockers used a three-run eighth to put the Jayhawks away. With the loss, Kansas dropped to 4-12 and Wichita State improved its record to 7-3.
Wilhelm said he felt good about the home run but was upset about losing again.
Kansas broke up a scoreless game in the top of the fourth when senior third baseman Brent Wilhelm sent a pitch over the wall in right field for a grand slam home run. The Jayhawks added another run in the sixth when junior catcher Ted Meadows drove in senior right fielder Josh Igou, who led off the inning with a double.
After Kansas startling pitcher Jamie Splitorff left the game in the sixth inning, the Jayhawks' problems began. The junior right-hander struck out eight Shocker batters despite yielding four runs on five hits.
"I thought we played really hard," he said. "This club is down a lot. We were closer tonight, but it just wasn't quite there when we needed it."
Freshman pitcher Mike Terry then followed. Terry
"We were closer tonight,but it just wasn't quite there when we needed it."
Brent Wilhelm Kansas senior third baseman
was unable to get anyone out and walked three of the five batters he faced. Sophomore pitcher Tim Lyons then followed and finished up what had become a six-run sixth inning for Wichita State. Kansas coach Dave Bingham was upse*
with the game despite scoring a season-high nine runs.
The Jayhawks charged back in the seventh, scoring two runs, making the score 7-6. Wichita State then tied the game at seven with a run off freshman pitcher Casey Barrett, who replaced Lyons with no outs in the inning.
"That was a pathetic baseball game," he said. "We couldn't get anyone out."
Kansas scored two in the eighth, pushing the score to 9-7. Sophomore designated hitter Joe DeMarco's single drove in sophomore center fielder Isaac Byrd and later in the inning.
DeMarco scored on a one-out single by senior first baseman Alex King.
The Shockers used a two-run home run by junior right fielder Jerry Stine, scoring three in the bottom of the eighth to seal the win.
Kansas will have today off before opening a five game homestand with Illinois-Chicago at 3 p.m tomorrow at Hogland-Maupin Stadium.
Intramural champ is the team to envy
BOX: Box score for the Kansas-Wichita State game
Page 2B
Elizabeth McJimsey, member of the 4U2NV team, goes up for a shot during the women's intramural basketball championship game. 4U2V defeated Alpha Gamma Delta 81-25 last night in Allen Field House.
Matt Flickner /
KANSAN
Ostertag practices but will not start in game
By Christoph Fuhrmans Kansan sportswriter
DAYTON, Ohio — A No. 16 seed has never beaten a No. 1 seed in the history of the NCAA tournament.
Kansan sportswrite
So it makes sense for Colgate coach Jack Bruen to refer to divine intervention when his Red Raiders play the Kansas Jayhawkstoday.
"Our slingshot is big enough, but I don't know if Goliath is going to stand still like he did for David," Bruen said.
The No. 1-seeded Jayhawks are looking to make the 16th-seeded Red Raiders' first appearance in the tournament a short one when the teams play at 6:40 p.m. at the University of Dayton Arena.
Kansas sophomore forward Scot Pollard and freshman forward Raef LaFrentz will try to limit Foyle's success without the services of senior center Greg Ostertag. Kansas might be without the other member of the Jayhawks' "Fun Bunch," the nickname given to Pollard, LaFrentz and Ostertag.
Colgate's slingshot could be freshman center Adonal Foyle, who averages 17.1 points, 12.7 rebounds and five blocked shots.
Ostertag practiced for the first time today after bruising his left foot in an accident last weekend. Kansas coach Roy Williams said Ostertag was injured after a van rolled over his foot.
"It's a stupid thing," Williams said. "I'd rather not talk about it."
Williams said he wouldn't know until today if Ostertag would play and that Pollard would start instead of Ostertag.
"A lot depends on how he feels tonight and if it swells more after working out," Williams said.
Both teams looked relaxed as they went through mild practices today at the arena.
But Kansas junior forward Sean Pearson said not to confuse the Jayhawks' easy-going manner as looking past Colgate.
Williams said he wasn't bothered by the criticism and took it as a challenge.
"It's just one game," he said. "If they weren't any good, they wouldn't have made the 64-team field."
"We realize that we are the biggest game on our opponent's schedule," he said. "Now its boiled down to do or die. If you come out and are not mentally focused, you have a long summer to get mentally focused."
Being mentally focused is what helped the Jayhawks to a 23-5 record en route to gaining the Midwest regional's No.1 seed.
Kansas sophomore guard Jacue Vaughn said he agreed.
"That's nothing new," Vaughn said. "Kansas basketball sometimes isn't respected in my opinion. We took it in stride, as we have all year."
But since the bracket was announced Sunday, the national media has criticized the Jayhawks' seeding.
"Id probably say we're the least respected of the No. 1 seeds," he said. "But we can do something about that."
Swimmers head to championships
By Tom Erickson
Vansen sportwriter
Kansas junior swimmer Jennifer Davis is feeling good about her chances in the women's NCAA Championships, which begin today and run through Saturday in Austin, Texas.
"I'm pretty confident since we've got seven girls — the most we've ever had," Davis said. "It helps us a lot."
Kansan sportswriter
The Jayhawks will have four relay teams, one diver and entries in 15 individual events at the meet, which will be held at the Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center.
Davis will join senior Ronda Lusty, juniors Donna Christensen and Michelle Rojohn, sophomore Rebecca Andrew and freshmen Kristin Nilsen and Kelly Williams at the championships.
Rojohn joined the group last weekend when she placed first at the NCAA Zone D Diving Championship in Austin. She will compete on both the one- and three-meter boards.
Andrew earned All-America status as a member of last year's 400- and 800-yard freestyle relay teams at the championships in Indianapolis. Going back as a veteran should make things easier this year, she said.
"This year I'm a little more prepared," Andrew said. "Last year I didn't know I was going until the day before I left, so this time I know what to expect."
Members from both the women's and men's teams have been practicing for about two hours each day with Kansas coach Gary Kempf since the Big Eight Championships ended on Feb. 25.
The women did not know who would be going until Monday, and the men's team will find out this evening.
Using limited numbers of swimmers in practice is helpful in getting ready to compete, Davis said.
"Having a smaller group helps because we can work more one-on-one with the coaches," she said. "I think it will help me a lot."
The Jayhawks modified their practices a bit to prepare for the trip to Austin. Instead of the usual pattern of laps and sprints, the team ran events similar to what they will do at the NCAA meet.
"We've been doing a lot of broken swims to simulate the races and have been doing very well," Williams said.
Nerves have not been a problem for the Jayhawks yet, Andrew said.
Williams, one of four first-time competitors for Kansas, said her teammates who have competed in the championships before have been helpful in her preparation.
"They have given me some insight," she said. "But it's so hard to explain what it's really like."
"Nobody is real nervous," she said. "We won't talk about it much until we get there."
The Kansas men's team is expecting to send two swimmers and a diver to the men's NCAA meet March 23-25 in Indianapolis.
NCAA Championships
The Kansas women's swimming team is in Austin. Texas today through Saturday for the championships. Members competing at the NCAA's are:
Jennifer Davis
Ronda Lusty
Donna Christenser
Michelle Rojohn
Rebecca Andrew
Kristin Nilsen
Kelly Williams
The men's swimming team will compete at the NCAA Championships in Indianapolis March 23-25.